Leaving
by Airhead259
Summary: 2 years after defeating the Fire Lord, Aang is forced to leave the South Pole. But he hasn't said goodbye to everyone yet...
1. Leaving

_Yes! A one-shot! This has been in my head ever since I heard the song 'Leaving on a Jet Plane' and I decided to write it out before I forget it. I tried to work more on description here, because I love describing things. I didn't want to make it into a songfic, since I wasn't sure exactly WHERE to put the words, and I don't like songfics much anyway DX_

_There is a bit of fluffy Kataang in here. Why? Because I ship Kataang :)_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar_

**--**

It was a chilly morning at the South Pole. The sun's rays peeked over the horizon; making everything they touched glisten in the morning light. Nearby, a village stood proudly against the frozen landscape. It was a cluster of igloos, tents and ice huts, surrounded by a strong wall, making it akin to an icy fortress.

A lone figure trudged through the snow, a navy blue cloak wrapped around his shoulders to keep him warm. He was young, clearly no older than 14, but anyone who glanced at him would see a clear look of determination etched into his features. However, his deep, grey eyes held a different emotion – sadness, for everything he was leaving behind.

This was no ordinary teenager. No, he was the Avatar, the one who had brought balance to the four nations by ending the war two years ago. He had defeated the Fire Lord with the help of his friends, and soon after had returned to the South Pole to live with his 'family'. Everyone had thought he was living a normal life – eating, sleeping and laughing with everyone else. But he had a secret. One he had kept from everyone but himself.

For about a year, he had been receiving letters from the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation governments, asking him to come as soon as possible to resolve 'political issues'. He had replied saying that he had other matters to take care of, but had assured them that he would assist them later. Now, he had realized that he couldn't keep them hanging for so long. It was his destiny and his job, as Avatar, and no one else was going to fill in for him.

And so he had made his decision. He would leave the South Pole without anyone knowing. He had written them a letter, explaining where he had to go and what he had to do. Then he had packed his few belongings and set off. Now he was on his way to the docks, where his flying bison had been staying for the past few years. Everything was going smoothly; he had not been discovered yet. Until…

"And just where do you think YOU'RE going?" said a deep masculine voice from behind him. He turned around and found himself face-to-face with Sokka.

"I..er..um…" he stammered.

"I read the letter, Aang."

Aang turned his gaze downward, unable to meet the warrior's eye. He had been caught. What would Sokka think of him now?

"If you have to leave, don't do it without a proper goodbye" said the 17 year-old smugly.

Aang lifted his head again and managed a small smile. Then he began to explain.

"I have to go, Sokka. It's my job and I've been avoiding it for two years!"

"I get it. But at least say goodbye to my sister. She isn't going to be happy."

"I know…"

**--**

Aang pulled back the tent flap and saw a sight that almost broke his heart. Katara, who had always seemed so emotionally strong, was lying face down on a sleeping bag, crying.

"Katara…?" he whispered hesitantly.

Upon hearing her name mentioned, the 16 year-old girl's head jerked up. She recognized the person immediately.

"Aang! You're still here!" she cried. Without waiting for a response, she got up hastily and flung herself at him, hugging him tightly. He returned the hug gratefully.

"I thought you had left. I thought I'd never see you again…" she sobbed into his shoulder.

"It's okay," he said softly, "I'm still here. But I'll be leaving soon."

"Why?" she asked, pulling away and looking up at him through tear-stained eyes. "I thought you were staying here with us. I thought we were your family!"

"You are my family…"

"Then why are you leaving me?" she shouted. "I need you. WE need you…"

"But the world needs me too," he said sadly. "It's my job to bring peace. I have to leave."

"Sokka and I will come with you! We can travel the world again, just like old times!"

"I'm sorry, Katara, but it's too dangerous. I can't see either of you get hurt. It's safer if you stay here."

"But what if…I…never see you again…"she stammered, burying her face in his shoulder again.

"I'll come back soon, don't worry. And I'll write you everyday so that you know exactly where I am and what I'm doing."

"Promise?"

He stiffened up in surprise, not having expected that question. He hugged her tightly again and whispered:

"I promise."

**--**

Katara and Aang walked hand in hand towards the docks, where the rest of the village was waiting. The sun had risen higher in the sky, but a gloomy atmosphere still hung over the crowd gathered. They all knew that the Avatar was leaving; Sokka had told them a while ago, and they had gathered here to see him off.

Aang stepped into the stable he and Katara had made out of ice for Appa to stay in. Momo, who had been resting on Appa's saddle, flew towards him and perched on his shoulder. Aang moved closer to the bison and began petting his head, causing him to wake up.

"C'mon buddy," he said to the giant creature, "We're leaving…"

Appa moaned softly in response and ambled out of the stable. Aang took in the sights he would not see again for a long time – the frozen landscape, the village and the people he cared so much about.

"Take care, guys," he said to Sokka and Katara before leaving.

"We're gonna miss you, Aang," said Sokka sadly.

"I'll miss you too…" he replied.

Tears welled up in Katara's eyes. She could not bear the thought of being away from her best friend (or maybe more…) for so long. Aang pulled her into another hug. She let her emotions pour out, not caring that everyone in the village was watching her, and cried. He stroked her hair in an attempt to comfort her.

"I'll be back, I promise," he whispered again into her ear. He then pulled away and mounted Appa. And with a solemn 'Yip, yip', they were off. Sokka held his sister close to him as they watched the beast disappear into the horizon.

**--**

_Wow, I think that's the longest single chapter I've ever written! I'm kinda proud of myself, 'cause I need to work on my chapter length. Please R&R and tell me what you think! _


	2. Interlude

_A little interlude to this fic. I got so many reviews asking me to continue this, so I decided to. I wrote this before going on vacation, but didn't have time to post it, so here it is now! Whenever I write it, the final chapter will be called 'Coming Back' (REAL original title, huh? XD). So, until then, enjoy!_

_And thank you to all who reviewed! It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside :)_

_Disclaimer (do I have to do this for every page?): I do not own Avatar._

**-- **

Katara looked down at the letter again. Although it had arrived that very day, it was already crumpled and slightly worn around the edges, either from the long distance it had to travel, or from the fact that she had read and re-read it countless times from the moment of its arrival. The message upon it was short; the words written in a neat, familiar handwriting. She began to read it once more.

_Dear Katara,_

_I'm sorry that my most recent letters to you have been so short. With all the meetings I have to attend, there's barely any time for me to write more than I already do. I try to send one every day, but I don't know how soon they get to you._

_How are you? I hope you and your family is doing well. You mentioned in your previous letter that the Southern Water Tribe has undergone some drastic changes. I can't wait to see for myself!_

_I still look forward to the day when I'm done with all my duties – I really miss you guys. Hopefully, my work will be done in a year or two, and I can come back to the South Pole to visit, or hopefully, even to stay._

_Your friend,_

_Aang _

Katara sighed as she finished reading. Two years had passed since Aang left, and each day had played out in exactly the same manner for her ever since. She would wake up early, go out to watch the sunrise (sometimes throwing in a little waterbending practice), do her chores, help her grandmother cook meals for her family, and go to bed early. A normal life, anyone else would say. But Katara didn't want it to be that way.

She strode over to her bedroom window, still clutching the letter tightly in her hands, and looked out over the city that was once a village. Less that a month after Aang's departure, the people decided to rebuild their home. Many waterbenders had migrated from the North Pole, so this was not a difficult task. Even Katara had helped out. Eventually the South Pole became a thriving port town. Tall buildings now towered over the once barren plains. However, there were still some open areas to practice bending, and for that, she was glad.

Once she had seen enough, Katara moved away from the window and slowly made her way to a large cupboard. Glancing down at the letter in her hand to make sure she hadn't dropped it, she opened the cabinet door.

Inside, she had stored all her precious souvenirs from her past adventures with 'Team Avatar'; her Painted Lady costume, her first waterbending scroll, wanted posters for 'The Runaway' and 'The Avatar', and her most prized possession – a necklace made of fishing line, hand crafted by her best friend when she had lost her mother's necklace.

After allowing another small sigh to pass through her lips, Katara pulled out a wooden box from behind an old water canteen. Within this box, she had stored every single letter Aang had ever sent her. She placed the new letter carefully on top of the others and sealed the box again, returning it to its rightful place in the closet.

Once she had completed this ritual, she walked over to her bed and lay down slowly, staring at the designs etched into her frozen ceiling.

_'I miss you, Aang,' _she thought to herself. _'Someday, I hope our whole group will be together again...'_

And with that thought in mind, she drifted off into a peaceful sleep, where she dreamt about travelling the world with the one person who changed her life for the better.

**--**

_There you have it! Quite short and dumb, but it's there to clarify some points for later. I hope you enjoyed reading!_


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